Each event has unique features which astrologers and historians may mention when suggesting the event as having merit to be the moment the USA came into being as a nation. Perhaps the single best summation of the formation of the USA was offered by Abraham Lincoln in his first Inaugural Address on Monday March 4, 1861.

"The Unionis much older than the Constitution. It was formed, in fact, by the Articles of Association in 1774. It was matured and continued by the Declaration of Independence in 1776. It was further matured, and the faith of all the thenthirteen States expressly plighted and engaged that it should be perpetual,by the Articles of Confederationin 1778. And finally, in 1787, one of the declared objects for ordain­ing and establishing the Constitution was 'toform a more perfect Union'".What follows is an accounting of the major events and the moments proposed with an evaluation of their respective merit, both historical and astrological.

The main historical thesis1. The Boston Tea Party in 1773 was one of many catalysts for the American Revolutionary War, independence and nationhood. However, it was not by itself, although inspiring to the revolutionaries, the birth of the nation.

2. The Articles of Association in 1774 was a coming together of the colonies for the purpose of pooling their interests to strengthen their bargaining power vis-a-vis Great Britain. At this stage, they still conducted themselves as subjects of the Crown. Their assembly was named the (first) Continental Congress. The union of the colonies was at this point only an informal association.

3. The Declaration of Revolutionary War in 1775 was an outgrowth of acts of defiance and disobediance by the colonials. Each colony was soon pulled into the war, with both loyalist and revolutionary forces within each colony. This event, however, while central to the attainment of independence was not the formation of the country.

4. The Declaration of Independence in 1776 was a coming together of the colonies in order to consciously declare their political separation from Great Britain. The Declaration was a part of multi-pronged strategy of the revolutionaries to found their own country to:

establish statehood for the thirteen colonies

immediately adopt the term state in place of colony, even if formal statehood had not yet been established by all of the colonies in 1776, and

draft the articles of their confederation and union.

5. The Articles of Confederation and Perpetual Union in 1781 was the defining instrument in establishing the new nation. The Articles created a constitution based on a confederation type of government and legally bound the sovereign states as a perpetual union.

6. The Treaty of Paris in 1783 provided for peace and recognition of the USA as a free and independent country, but did not give birth to the USA as a collective entity.

7. The US Constitution in 1787 was the nations second constitution based on a federation type government. Importantly, it was intended to make "more perfect" the perpetual union which had been established in 1781.

The astrological evaluationThe basic astrological evaluation is performed on the basis of the key western astrological emphasis on ascending sign, chart ruler, sun and moon signs. This is done as the audience most interested in an authentic mundane chart for the USA would most likely be western astrologers. However, it should be clearly noted that the SAMVA USA chart(Perpetual Union) has been rectified on the basis of the Systems' Approach, a powerful system of vedic astrology designed for interpretive and predictive accuracy.

1. The Boston Tea Party in 1773The Boston Tea Party was an act of direct action by the American colonists against Great Britain in which they destroyed many crates of tea bricks on ships in Boston Harbor. The incident, which took place on Thursday, December 16, 1773, has been seen as helping to spark the American Revolution.Historical evaluation: The Boston Tea Party eventually proved to be one of the many catalysts which led to the American Revolutionary War. At the very least, the Boston Tea Party and the reaction that followed served to rally support for revolutionaries in the thirteen colonies who were eventually successful in their fight for independence. However, it was only one of many catalysts for the war. Hence, it can not be regarded as the birth of the nation. No chart has been proposed based on this event as the horoscope of the nation.

2. Articles of Association in 1774The Articles of Association were petitions of grievances against Great Britain by Twelve Colonies and a compact among them to collectively impose economic sanctions to pressure a resolution. The Articles were drafted by the First Continental Congress in 1774 and were an important formative document in the history of the United States that perhaps hastened the American Revolution, though they were intended instead to alter Britain's policies towards the colonies without severing allegiance. Historical evaluation: While Abraham Lincoln mentioned that Articles of Association as an early document in the formation of America as a nation, the colonies had at this point not set up their own governments nor had they formally announced plans to effect a political separation from Great Britain or to form a lasting union. Moreover, the Association is considered to have ended with the outbreak of hostilities in 1775, as this outcome was opposite to that which was intended with its formation.To wit, no astrologer has considered this event as the defining moment in the birth of the USA as a nation[1].

3. Declaration of Revolutionary Warin 1775The American Revolutionary War (1775–1783), also known as the American War of Independence, was, at least initially, a civil war between the Kingdom of Great Britain and thirteen British colonies on the North American continent (as well as some naval conflict). The war was the culmination of the political American Revolution, whereby the colonists overthrew Royalist rule. In 1775, Revolutionaries seized control of each of the thirteen colonial governments, set up the Second Continental Congress, and formed a Continental Army. The following year, they formally declared their independence as the United States of America. That said, while the colonies were united in their struggle to overthrow British rule, they were still independent colonies and formal statehood had not been achieved by any of them. From this time on, however, other European nations which rivaled Britain as colonial powers provided support for the rebels, at first secretly, later openly. Meanwhile, Native Americans and African Americans served on both sides. The war is considered to have begun on the night of April 18, 1775, with the Battles of Lexington and Concord. It began with Lieutenant General Thomas Gage, the British North American commander-in chief, sending 700 British troops to seize munitions stored by the colonial militia at Concord, Massachusetts. Riders including Paul Revere alerted the countryside, and when British troops entered Lexington on the morning of April 19, they found 77 minutemen formed up on the village green. Shots were exchanged, killing several minutemen. The British moved on to Concord, where a detachment of three companies was engaged and routed at the North Bridge by a force of 500 minutemen. As the British retreated back to Boston, thousands of militiamen attacked them along the roads, inflicting great damage before timely British reinforcements prevented a total disaster. In April 1775, the colonies set up home rule in their respective domains, which were independent from each other but cooperating in the revolutionary struggle. In July 1775, newly appointed General Washington arrived outside Boston to take charge of the colonial forces and to organize the Continental Army. 6th of July 1775 – Declaration of WarBoyd Declaration of WarDate: 07/06/1775 (July 6, 1775)Time: 11:00 (11:00 AM) LMT (+5:00:39)Place: Philadelphia, PA (Lat: 39 N 57; Lng: 75 W 9) 29° Virgo rising with ruler Mercury at 10° Leo in 11th house Sun at 14° Cancer in 10th house Moon at 21° Libra in 1st house Special: Mars at 27° Virgo in 12th house conjunct Ascendant Astrological evaluation: Virgo as a rising sign with Sun in Cancer and Moon in Libra would suggest a mild mannered entity, which does not seem to fit the history of the USA. Historical evaluation: There is a question if these events should be considered the birth of the American nation, as the colonies were still independent entities even if uniting in the struggle to overthrow British rule. 4. Declaration of Independence in 1776The United States Declaration of Independence was an act of the Second Continental Congress, adopted on July 4, 1776, which declared that the Thirteen Colonies in North America were "Free and Independent States" and that "all political connection between them and the State of Great Britain, is and ought to be totally dissolved." The document, formally entitled The unanimous Declaration of the thirteen United States of America, explained the justifications for separation from the British crown, and was an expansion of Richard Henry Lee's Resolution (passed by Congress on July 2), which first proclaimed independence. An engrossed copy of the Declaration was signed by most of the delegates on August 2 and is now on display in the National Archives and Records Administration in Washington, D.C.

The Declaration is considered to be the founding document of the United States of America, where July 4 is celebrated as Independence Day and the nation's birthday. At the time the Declaration was issued, the American colonies were "united" in declaring their independence from Great Britain. John Hancock, as the elected President of Congress, was the only person to sign the Declaration of Independence on July 4th. It was not until the following month on August 2nd that the remaining 55 other delegates began to sign the document.

US President Abraham Lincoln succinctly explained the importance of the Declaration to American history in his Gettysburg Address of 1863: "Four score and seven years ago our fathers brought forth on this continent, a new nation, conceived in liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal."

Historical evaluation: Despite the importance of the Declaration, the thirteen states, while united in their struggle for independence, were at this stage legally equivalent only to thirteen independent countries. No formal compact had been reached by them to give them a legal or constitutional base as a nation. For this, the Second Continental Congress ordered the drafting of the Articles of Confederation to commence on June 11, 1776, three weeks before the signing of the Declaration of Independence...

2nd of July 1776 – Signing of the Declaration of IndependenceArmistead July 2 chartDate: 07/02/1776 (July 2, 1776)Time: 12:04 (12:04 PM) LMT (+5:00:39)Place: Philadelphia, PA (Lat: 39 N 57; Lng: 75 W 9) 10° Libra rising with ruler Venus at 0° Cancer in 9th houseSun at 11° Cancer in 10th house conjunct Medium CoeliMoon at 25° Capricorn in 5th houseSpecial: Saturn at 15° Libra in 1st house conjunct Ascendant Astrological evaluation: Libra as a rising sign with Venus in 9th house and Sun in Cancer in 10th house and Moon in Capricorn in 5th house gives an impression of a social and harmonious country. Historical evaluation: The signing of the draft declaration based on the Lee Resolution took place on this day, giving it special historical relevance. However, as is argued below, the historical merit for the Declaration to be the moment when the Union was created is doubtful at best.

Astrological evaluation: Scorpio as a rising sign with Pluto in Capricorn and 3rd house, Sun in Cancer and 9th house and Moon in Aquarius and 4th house suggests a determined and inward looking nation with idealistic notions.

e. Sagittarius Rising chart (Sibly)Date: 07/04/1776 (July 4, 1776)Time: 17:10 (5:10 PM) LMT (+5:00:39)Place: Philadelphia, PA (Lat: 39 N 57; Lng: 75 W 9) 12° Sagittarius rising with ruler Jupiter at 6° Cancer in 7th houseSun at 13° Cancer in 8th houseMoon at 27° Aquarius in 3rd houseSpecial: Uranus at 8° Gemini in 6th house conjunct DescendantAstrological evaluation: Sagittarius as a rising sign with Jupiter and Sun in Cancer and 7th house and Moon in Aquarius and 3rd house suggests a freedom loving country with open minded attitude in communicating with others and interest in others welfare. Historical evaluation: There is no question of the importance of this event. However, it is clear that the Declaration of Independence was a 'divorce decree' and not an explicit agreement for union. The colonies were also independent entities in 1776, and had in fact not yet achieved the status of formal statehood with a constitution at that time. Hence, there was no legal basis for considering them a union at that point in time. Nonetheless, the Declaration was an important statement in their ongoing struggle to overthrow British rule and to cut remaining ties with the 'mother country'. However, it was not a document to create a binding or legal union among them. For this the Articles of Confederation and Perpetual Union were instrumental. 5. Articles of Confederation and Perpetual Union in 1781The Articles of Confederation and Perpetual Union, commonly known as the Articles of Confederation, was the first governing document, or constitution, of the United States of America. The final draft was written in the summer of 1777 and adopted by the Second Continental Congress on November 15, 1777 in York, Pennsylvania after a year of debate. In practice, the draft articles served as the de facto system of government used by the Congress ("the United States in Congress assembled") until they became de jure by final ratification on March 1, 1781. At that point Congress became the Congress of the Confederation. The Articles set the rules for operations of the "United States" confederation. The confederation was capable of making war, negotiating diplomatic agreements, and resolving issues regarding the western territories; it could print money and borrow insideand outside the US. The Articles of Confederation and Perpetual Union were, as the name implies, two separate agreements rolled into one. The Articles of Confederation created a constitution for the confederation form of government. The Articles of Perpetual Union legally bound the states as a new nation. This latter significance of the Articles has for long been ignored. As will become apparent, it is one of the mysteries of the birth of the USA that the formation of the new nation and the entry into force of its governing document did not coincide or occurn at the same time. The Articles were created in 1777 by the chosen representatives of the states in the Continental Congress out of a perceived need to have "a plan of confederacy for securing the freedom, sovereignty, and independence of the United States." Although serving a crucial role in the attainment of nationhood for the thirteen states, it soon became clear the Articles lacked the necessary provisions for a sufficiently effective federal government and did not strike the right balance between large and small states in the legislative decision making process. One criticism by those who favored a more powerful central state (e.g., federalists) was that it lacked taxing authority; the federal government had to request funds from the states. A second concern was its one-state, one-vote plank, as the larger states were expected to contribute more but had only one vote. The Articles were replaced by the United States Constitution on June 21, 1788. Importantly, Abraham Lincoln considered the fact that the Confederate states had signed the Articles of Confederation as the main legal basis with which to reject their claim in 1861 to secede from the Union and to prosecute compliance with the force of arms. In his first inauguration speech, and on the eve of the civil war, President Lincoln cited the irrevocable leagal basis of the Union as set out in the Articles of Confederation and Perpetual Union:

"I hold, that in contemplation of universal law, and of the Constitu­tion, the Union of these States is perpetual. . . . Continue to execute all the express provisions of our national Constitution, and the Union will endure forever -- it being impossible to destroy it."

15th of November 1777 – 2nd Continental Congress adopts Articles of Confederation and sends to states for their ratification

David Solte 1777 chartDate: 11/15/1777 (Nov 15, 1777)Time: 12:46 (12:46 PM) LMT (+5:00:39)Place: York, PA (Lat: 39 N 57; Lng: 76 W 43) 22° Aquarius rising with ruler Saturn at 8° Scorpio in 9th houseSun at 24° Scorpio in 10th house conjunct Medium CoeliMoon at 2° Gemini in 4th houseSpecial: Jupiter at 26° Leo in 7th house conjunct Descendant Astrological evaluation: Aquarius as a rising sign with Saturn in Scorpio and 9th house and Sun in Scorpio and 10th house and Moon in Gemini in 4th house would suggest a pragmatic entity fixed in its purpose, but also lively domestic affairs. Historical evaluation: There is a question if this event, as the Articles had not been ratified, should be considered the birth of the American nation. 2nd of February 1781 – Maryland becomes 13th and final state to pass a law ratifying the Articles and thereby establishing the requisite unanimous consent to the formation of a Perpetual UnionThe signing into law in front of both Houses of the Maryland State Legislature, by Governor Thomas Sim Lee, the act to approve the formal ratification of the Articles of Confederation by Maryland took place in the afternoon on Friday, February 2, 1781, in Annapolis. The signing into law of this act was the last piece of business that day before recess. The time has been carefully rectified as 5:00 PM. This moment represents a signal moment for the birth of the country because it represented the culminating resolution of several years of political wrangling over the chronically divisive issue of western land claims of several states, but also this 13th ratification established the requisite unanimous consent to the formation of a Perpetual Union. In short, the creation of a lasting union among the states depended effectively on this historic approval by the state of Maryland.

SAMVA USA chart (Perpetual Union) Date: 02/02/1781 (Feb 2, 1781)Time: 17:00 (5:00 PM) LMT (+5:06:00)Place: Annapolis, MD (Lat: 38 N 59; Lng: 76 W 30)11° Leo rising with ruler Sun at 15° Aquarius in 7th house conjunct DescendantMoon at 28° Taurus in 10th houseSpecial: Chiron at 2° Taurus in 10th house conjunct Medium Coeli Astrological evaluation: Leo as a rising sign with Sun in Aquarius and 7th house and conjunct the Descendant with Moon in Taurus in 10th house would suggest a powerful outward oriented entity with a public-minded approach. Importantly, this chart was rectified on the basis of the Systems' Approach and has been successfully back-tested against numerous significant events and further tested with accurate predictions, as has been amply described on this blog. Historical evaluation: This event is unique in that the Articles had not yet been formally ratified, but with this legislation the last obstacle had been passed to the formation of a Perpetual Union. This event may be considered as the birth of the American nation. 1st of March 1781 –Ratification of Articles of Confederation with formal signatures of Maryland delegatesThe signing of the Articles by the delagates of Maryland capped a four year process of ratification. With the Articles of Confederation, the governing document of the new Union, having entered into force, on the following day, the congressional delegates reconvened as the Congress of the Confederation, with Samuel Huntington serving as its first President.

Ratification of the Articles of Confederation (Grimes)Date: 03/01/1781 (Mar 1, 1781)Time: 15:19 (3:19 PM) LMT (+5:00:39)Place: Philadelphia, PA (Lat: 39 N 57; Lng: 75 W 9) 12° Leo rising with ruler Sun at 11° Pisces in 7th houseSun at 11° Pisces conjunct 8th house axisMoon at 23° Taurus in 10th houseSpecial: Venus at 18° Aquarius in 7th house conjunct Descendant Astrological evaluation: Leo as a rising sign with Sun in Pisces in the 7th house but on the 8th house axis with Moon in Taurus in 10th house would suggest an inwardly powerful entity with a public-minded approach. From the vedic perspective, this chart does not have enough strength in the natal potential to represent a powerful country like the USA. However, the signing took place at either midnight or noon on that day; hence the rectification by Grimes does not have any historical merit. Importantly, the astrological rationale is not as compelling as in the Perpetual Union event, even when the midnight and noon times are considered.

Historical evaluation: The formal signing of the Articles has great historic and legal merit, as the de facto governing structure became at that moment de jure. However, the Union came into being at the moment all thirteen states had agreed to it. This agreement was finalised on February 2, 1781 in Annapolis.

6.Treaty of Paris in 1783The Treaty of Paris, signed on September 3, 1783, and ratified by the Congress of the Confederation on January 14, 1784, formally ended the American Revolutionary War between the Kingdom of Great Britain and the United States of America, which had rebelled against British rule starting in 1775. The other combatant nations, France, Spain and the Dutch Republic had separate agreements.

Hostilities in America had effectively ended with the surrender of General Cornwallis at Yorktown on October 19, 1781. This was followed by the start of negotiations for a peace treaty and the recognition of Great Britain of the USA as a free and independent state. A breakthrough in the negotiations had come in September 1782, when the authorization papers of Britain's negotiator were reworded to acknowledge that he was negotiating not with "colonies" but with "13 United States". The first article of the treaty stipulated that Great Britain recognized the "13 colonies as free and sovereign States".

There is no knowledge of a chart having been advanced on the basis of this event as the horoscope of the USA.

Historical evaluation: The Treaty ended hostilities and provided the recognition of Great Britain of the USA as a free and independent entity. However, as Lincoln stated, the legal basis of the Union resided with the Articles of Confederation. The Treaty of Paris was therefore not the event that gave birth to the Union.

7. US Constitution in 1787The United States Constitution is the supreme law of the United States of America. It was adopted on September 17, 1787, by the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, being signed by 39 of the 42 delegates present, and later ratified by conventions in each state in the name of "the People". During this period, a national argument followed, during which the case for support of the constitution was strongly presented in the Federalist essays of Alexander Hamilton, John Jay, and James Madison. The last of the 13 states to ratify the Constitution was Rhode Island on May 29, 1790. The US constitution has since been amended seventeen times, minus the 10 added through the Bill of Rights. The Constitution has a central place in United States law and political culture.

While many consider the U.S. Constitution to be the oldest living written national constitution, it is clear that the Articles of Confederation was the original constitution of the USA. In fact, it soon became evident that the Articles were insufficient for the operation of an effective government. In principle, the perceived need was to replace the confederation with a federation as a basis of national government. In September 1786, commissioners from five states met in the Annapolis Convention to discuss adjustments to the Articles of Confederation that would improve commerce. They invited state representatives to convene in Philadelphia to discuss improvements to the government. After debate, the Congress of the Confederation endorsed the plan to revise the Articles of Confederation on February 21, 1787.

On September 17, 1787, the Constitution was completed in Philadelphia at the Federal Convention, followed by a speech given by Benjamin Franklin who urged unanimity, although they decided they only needed nine states to ratify the constitution for it to go into effect. The Convention submitted the Constitution to the Congress of the Confederation, where it received approval according to Article 13 of the Articles of Confederation, but the resolution of the Congress submitting the Constitution to the states for ratification and agreeing with its provision for implementation upon ratification by nine states is contrary to Article 13, though eventually all thirteen states did ratify the Constitution, albeit after it took effect. After fierce fights over ratification in many of the states, New Hampshire became that ninth state on June 21, 1788. Once the Congress of the Confederation received word of New Hampshire's ratification, it set a timetable for the start of operations under the Constitution, and on March 4, 1789, the federal government under the Constitution began operations.

17th of September 1787 – Signing of the US Constitution

Signing of the ConstitutionDate: 09/17/1787 (September 17, 1787)Time: 11:29 (11:29 AM) LMT (+5:00:39)Place: Philadelphia, PA (Lat: 39 N 57; Lng: 75 W 9) 2° Sagittarius rising with ruler Jupiter at 25° Gemini in 7th houseSun at 25° Virgo in 11th houseMoon at 4° Sagittarius in 1st house conjunct AscendantSpecial: Jupiter trine Saturn at 23° Aquarius in 3rd house Astrological evaluation: Sagittarius as a rising sign with Jupiter in Gemini in the 7th house, with Sun in Virgo and 11th house and Moon in Sagittarius conjunct the Ascendant would suggest a friendly and appealing country.Historical evaluation: This event, the creation of the countries second constitution, cannot represent the birth of the country. ConclusionA clear historical case has emerged. The process of Union began with the Articles of Association and concluded with the Articles of Confederation and Perpetual Union. The Boston Tea Party, while inspiring to the revolutionaries, was only one of many catalysts that led to the War of Independence. The Articles of Association was only a hesitant first step towards Union and does not have merit as a founding document for the USA. It was a common basis only for issuing grievances against the British Crown by the subjects of the King. While an important stepping stone, the outbreak of the Revolutionary War was not an event that brought the USA into being as a nation. Likewise, as a 'divorce decree,' the Declaration of Independence could not serve as the real founding event of the nation, no matter how inspiring. At that stage in the game, the states were equivalent to thirteen sovereign countries, albeit still battling the Red Coats. The truly important event was the creation of the Union of 13 American states. This event took place when Maryland became the 13th and final state to pass legislation to ratify the Articles of Confederation and Perpetual Union. The act established the requisite unanimous consent for the formation of the new Perpetual Union. While the Treaty of Paris on September 3, 1783, provided the recognition of the British King that the USA had been born, that in itself, was not the birth moment. The US Constitution also lacks a historical claim to being first or start of anything as it was the second constitution of the USA, after the Articles. The historical case for the authentic moment seems to be clear cut enough, the SAMVA USA chart is founded on the event establishing the Perpetual Union.While the astrological merit of each chart has not been systematically verified with a thorough examination, including analysis of past events and numerous accurate predictions, the systematic evaluation of the SAMVA USA chart has removed doubt about its astrological efficacy. It has the potential to explain the various characteristics of the USA as a nation and the planetary dynamics during significant historical events are convincing. But more importantly, the chart has been the basis of many successful predictions! In fact, this is the original contribution of the SAMVA USA chart, to offer a vastly improved basis for accurate prediction of the unfolding expression of karma in the life of this great nation. Finally, the SAMVA USA chart places the birth of the country in Annapolis MD, which is only some miles from Washington DC, the capital of the country since the US constitution was passed. In addition to meeting the basic western astrological criteria, this chart offers a compelling vedic astrological case for signifying the karmic destiny of the country. Congratulations America, on the discovery of your authentic birth chart! Footnote[1] Subsequent to the publication of this article, Portugese astrologer Jorge Angelino proposed a chart for the USA based on this event.